1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to tie-downs, and more particularly to a system and method for securing articles to a load bearing structure during storage or transportation.
2. Previous Art
Historically, teamsters have used systems of ropes and knots to secure articles to a load bearing structure during storage or transportation. Today these systems are commonly referred to as "tie-downs."
In the typical tie-down system, a rope is secured to one side of the truck bed. The remaining loose end of the rope is then coiled and thrown over the top of the load, falling to the ground on the opposite side of the truck.
The teamster then walks to the opposite side of the truck, where he picks up the loose end of the rope and fashions a special hitch in the rope at about shoulder height. This hitch is depicted schematically in FIG. 1 is known as a hay-haulers' hitch, a specific type of rope "tie-down."
The teamster will then pass the rope around some tie point at the side of the truck bed. He will bring the rope from the tie point back up to the special hitch, and pass the rope through the hitch's carefully fashioned loop.
He will pull down on the loose end of the rope. This action will apply tension between the tie point and the loop, and will result in the rope being tightened over the top of the load.
The hay-haulers' hitch includes three lengths of rope between loop and the tie point, (1) a first length descending from the hitch to the tie point, (2) a second length ascending from the tie point back to the loop, and (3) a third length descending from the loop into a user's hands. A mechanical advantage results which allows the user to apply much greater tension to the rope over the load than would be possible were the user pulling directly on the rope over the load.
To secure and lock the hitch, the user ties off the loose end of the rope at some convenient tie point, usually located at the side of the truck bed. A load is thereby made secure upon the bed of a truck.
If the user has correctly tied the hitch it will not come loose as the tension is adjusted. Additionally, if done correctly, the user will maintain his balance and avoid injury. And, if finally, done correctly the tie system will possess sufficient tension across the load so that the 10ad won't shift while the truck is moving.
A walk through any truck stop along major U.S. highways will provide one with the opportunity to observe properly tied and used hitchs, such as that depicted in FIG. 1. Yet, as common as these hitchs are, few outside the trucking industry possess the expertise to master the technique. The hitchs described above remain difficult, if not impossible for persons not having the expertise to tie correctly. Additionally, unless the user practices the tying of these hitchs regularly, the initial learning must be repeated.
As a result of these difficulties, two problems commonly result when a typical user attempts to make a teamsters' tie-down. Firstly, the hitch tends to come loose. This failure may quite likely cause the load to shift while the truck is in motion. Damage not only to the load but the truck are a likely outcome. Additionally, loose loads can be a danger to (1) the driver of the truck because it can be difficult to control the vehicle and (2) fellow motorists who either have to avoid an out of control truck or a spilled load.
Secondly and perhaps with equal frequency, the hitch slips while the tie-down is being adjusted. As the user pulls down on the rope to tighten it as the rope passes over the load, the hitch slips. The user may be thrown off balance and injured.
While the prior art shown in FIG. 1 may prove to be effective among skilled artisans, it has been left to the invention herein to provide a device which is both easy and safe to use. It has also been left to the invention herein to provide a device which secures either large or small loads to a wide variety of load bearing structures.